Playbook developed for franchisees with overview of the ServiceMaster Sales system for Residential franchisees.

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Step 1: Prepare ........................................................................................................... 4
Step 2: Build Rapport .................................................................................................. 6
Step 3: Identify Needs ................................................................................................. 8
Step 4: Align Features, Advantages & Benefits .........................................................10
Step 5: Overcome Objections ....................................................................................12
Step 6: Close the Sale ...............................................................................................14
After the Sales Call ....................................................................................................16
INTRODUCTION
This playbook is based on the concept of needs-based selling. People
buy what they need, but they don’t always know exactly what it is they
need or what you have to offer them.
The needs-based selling concept helps you identify the specific needs of
each customer so you can customize your approach to their specific
needs.
This workbook will take you through the six steps of the ServiceMaster
Sales System. For detailed information on how to sell specific services,
such as carpet cleaning, wood floors, and tile, refer to the specific add-
on sales manual for each service.

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In order to increase your chances of making the sale, knowing some key information about
your target audience is absolutely essential. In this step, your goal is to do your homework to
gain an understanding of your prospects and their needs, which gives you insight into how to
build the relationship.
In our Residential business, we know the following about our customer base:
1. Purchasers are primarily women living in dual-income households.
2. More than 80% are homeowners.
3. About 60% have lived in their homes for more than five years.
4. The majority of buyers are over the age of 40.
5. More than 70% live in homes valued at $100,000+.
All prospects should be logged into Contact Manager on Marketing Connection. For
instructions on logging customer and prospect info into Contact Manager, this can be found
under the following path: Marketing Connection >> Marketing Assets >> Marketing Connection
Training >> Contact Manager.

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Personal Appearance
When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...
Wear clean, pressed uniforms instead of jean,
non ServiceMaster hats, or ill-fitting poplin
shirts
Know we take pride in ourselves and our work
Set the standard in personal hygiene by
having clean-cut haircuts, removing earring
and body piercings
Not be influenced by preconceived prejudices
Have mouthwash, mints and deodorant in our
trucks and utilize them when necessary
Receive a positive first impression with our
initial greeting
Have our shirts neatly tucked in Recognize that we care about our personal
appearance
Make sure our hands are clean See we pay attention to detail and cleanliness
Preparing Yourself and Your Vehicle- Appearance Counts!
Customers quickly form opinions based on a technician’s appearance. This first impression
has an impact on their overall customer experience. Here are some guidelines to making sure
you are prepared to present yourself in a way that creates a favorable first impression.
Your vehicle also serves as a form of marketing to your customers. Here are some guidelines
to creating a favorable first impression when you pull up to the house.
Vehicle Appearance
When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...
Leave for the jobsite with enough time Not see us speeding
Allow others the right of way Perceive us as friendly
Keep vehicle exterior clean and neat –
windows included
See we value our equipment and will value
their home
Keep dash boards clear See we are organized
Keep vehicle interior clean and neat Know we care about our company
Don’t play loud music anytime Not be offended by our actions
Have working air conditioning Not have to see sweat soaked crews
Keep our vehicles in good repair with no dents
or leaking oil
Won’t be worried about staining their driveway
with oil spots

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The goal when building rapport is to establish trust. People buy from people they trust and like.
It begins with making a positive first impression.
Before you ever open your mouth, the prospect will have already formed an opinion of you
based on the way you look and present yourself. To make the best first impression, follow
these simple guidelines when arriving at the customer’s home.
1) Be on time for customer jobs.
2) After ringing the bell or knocking, step back from the door, greet the
customer by name and offer a handshake.
3) Always smile when addressing the customer.
4) Make sure the customer receives a business card.
5) Ask permission questions, such as:
 Is it okay to leave my car parked there?
 Would you please show me the areas that need to be cleaned?
 Where would you like me to start?
6) Find some common ground and break the ice with the customer.
 Compliment them on their home, decorations, or floor plan.
 Get the customer’s attention by broaching a subject of mutual
interest (lighthouses, Dalmatians, or anything you see displayed in
the home).
You will quickly lose credibility if you sound too rehearsed, so tailor your approach to each
individual customer. Be genuine and sincere in your approach. List some statements you might
use to greet a customer and/or break the ice.

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What other actions will help build rapport?
Communications and Actions
Communications/Actions
When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...
Get out of the vehicle immediately once at the
jobsite so as not to make the customer
uncomfortable by remaining in the vehicle
Know we are purposeful in our actions and
ready to serve them
Stand three feet away from the door, make
eye contact and SMILE when the customer
opens the door
Feel comfortable within their personal space
and not be intimidated
Greet the customer by name and extend our
hand for a handshake to introduce both
ourselves and our helper
Know you know their name and have self
confidence in the job to be accomplished
Thank the customer for the opportunity to
serve them and give them a yellow rose or
cupcake
Feel they are valued
Present the customer with our business card Feel at ease that they are working with a
professional company
Put down a walk off mat inside the door Care about tracking dirt and debris into their
home
Slip on booties once in the home Begin to feel ServiceMaster Clean is not just
another cleaning company
Put corner guards on to protect against
damage
Care about their home and value their
investment

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Identifying needs is a critical step in the selling
process. If performed correctly, you can
effectively reduce objections through targeted
questioning and listening.
As a member of the ServiceMaster Clean/
Restore selling team, you are expected to
understand your audience and make
suggestions on the specific services that will
best fit the customer’s needs. This can only be
done effectively if you ask probing questions
and identify the customer’s buying motives.
A buying motive is the rationale a person uses
to make a purchase. Examples include:
 Ask open-ended questions to help identify needs.
 Listen 70% of the time, talk 30% of the time.
 Put away your smart phone, iPad, and laptop, and give the speaker your
undivided attention.
 Maintain eye contact.
 Don’t plan your response while the customer is speaking.
 Avoid passing judgment on what your customer is saying.
 Pay attention to the person’s body language and non-verbal cues.
 Summarize to confirm understanding.
 Improve safety of the home
 Save time and labor
 Convenience
 Less mess and interruption
 Removal of dirt and allergens
 Clean, fresh feel of a home

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Example:
 So what I hear you
say is that XYZ is a
concern of yours and
you would view it as a
benefit if we can
address it. Correct?
Focus in on the process
to derive their needs:
 The issues that need
addressed
 The cost
 The time frame
 Steer the conversation
where YOU want it to go.
 Focus the questions on
their current process.
Identifying Needs Process Flow
Repeat the process until you have two to three confirmed needs. When you have at least two
needs and you feel that the client has covered their bases, restate the needs and gain a final
confirmation.
See page 17 for specific questions you can ask to identify needs.

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Once you have identified your prospect’s needs, focus on making the connection between
what they need and what you can offer them. This is the point at which you clearly
demonstrate why your service is the best option. This is also your opportunity to distinguish
yourself from the competition.
Too often, sales people bombard customers with features without giving any advantages or
benefits. No matter how many features you give a customers, it’s unlikely you will make a sale
without the customer understanding the benefits or “value” the service brings to them. Just
because you as the salesperson understand the benefits of your service doesn’t mean the
customer does.
The feature of a product or service are great for explaining what it is, but it doesn't create
enthusiasm. It just answers the question of what the service does. Aligning those features with
advantages and benefits gives your customer the “why” and helps generate enthusiasm. The
benefits sell the service because they solve a problem.
Features Tell, Benefits Sell
What’s the difference?
Feature Advantage Benefit
Attributes of a service Why it matters The value in it for the
customer

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Feature Advantage Benefit
Examples

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At some point during your presentation, the prospect will raise objections. Objections are an
important element of the sales process because they are a way for prospects to express their
needs and concerns and provide an opportunity for you to address them.
Objections indicate that prospects are interested in what you are presenting. If they were not at
all interested, they would not give you the opportunity to address their concerns.
Objections are also an indication that there may be a misunderstanding between you and the
prospect. It is your job to explore what they mean by disagreeing with you. Since you are
listening here, not selling, this process is purely for you to understand what he or she
disagrees with.

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Example Objection Example Response
Common Objections
Being aware of the most common objections and having prepared responses before the sales
meeting can help you provide clear and complete responses that leave the customer satisfied
and more likely to agree to send business your way. Here are some common objections and
sample responses.
Write Your Own Objection Responses
Think about the objections you have heard in the past. Write them down, and then write a
response you can use on future sales calls.
Objection Response

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Your goal is to help ServiceMaster Clean’s potential and existing customers make informed
buying decisions. Once you have learned about your prospect’s needs and wants, related our
products and services to those needs and wants, and overcome the prospect’s objections, it is
now your job to ask for the business.
Traits of a Successful Closer
According to Hal Becker, author of Can I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time?, many sales
representatives base a decision on when to close on the answers to two questions:
1. Do I have all of the information to make a suitable recommendation on pricing
and services?
2. Have I been able to establish sufficient value and need in the customer’s mind?
If you receive a positive response to these questions, move forward with the close.
 Listens effectively  Is skilled in a variety of closing techniques
 Closes often, whenever there is an opening  Is knowledgeable about services and competition
 Continually checks customer’s level of
understanding
 Continually seeks agreement on key issues
 Is always professional  Brings customer to a logical business decision
 Is perceptive, has good people skills, can
read people
 Makes a smooth transition from conversation into
selling
 Displays enthusiasm and confidence  Is aware of buying signals
Different Types of Closing
ASSUMPTIVE CLOSE - Briefly summarize your conversation with the customer and keep the
conversations customer focused.
- “You would like us to service your ______ along with your carpets today, right?”
DIRECT CLOSE - Simply directly ask the customer to buy.
- “Would you like to go ahead and schedule your __________ cleaning today?”
INDIRECT CLOSE - Moves to the close with a soft question or indirect question.
- “How do you feel about that pricing?”

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Sample closing statement.
CLOSING TIPS
1. Close in the proper order:
 Summarize the needs the customer has discussed
 Summarize your solutions to those needs
 Present an action step:
EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLD FOR EXAMPLE.”
 Ask for agreement”
EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLDER FOR EXAMPLE?”
2. When the customer agrees to the next step, define the step and time table for the results.
EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLDER FOR EXAMPLE.”
Write your own closing statement.

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PLACEHOLDER FOR STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A SALES CALL.
FOR EXAMPLE:
1. TRACKING THE CUSTOMER IN MARKETING CONNECTION CONTACT
MANAGER
2. FOLLOW UP PHONE CALL TO CONFIRM THE NEXT SERVICE
3. ETC
Listen effectively.
Close often when there is an opening.
Continually check the customer’s level of engagement and understanding.
Always be professional.
Display enthusiasm and confidence.
Have a depth of knowledge about the services you are selling.
Continually seek agreement to key issues.
Make sure there is a smooth transition from conversation into selling.
Be assertive, not aggressive! This may be offensive or harassing to the customer.

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Questions that will lead you to client’s needs:
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